Fibres
On circular materials and processes
Henning Schrader - Emma Horáčková - Lárey Huld Róbertsdóttir - Aneta Častová - Lisa Marie Koß - Henning Schrader - Emma Horáčková - Lárey Huld Róbertsdóttir - Aneta Častová - Lisa Marie Koß - Henning Schrader - Emma Horáčková - Lárey Huld Róbertsdóttir - Aneta Častová - Lisa Marie Koß
Fibres
The Parc naturel régional des Caps et Marais d’Opale, located in northern France, is characterized by a rich diversity of land- scapes shaped by varied geology and soils. Bocage landscapes, limestone hills, swamps, meadows, and cultivated fields coex- ist within the park, forming an environment where natural re- sources and traditional practices are closely linked. The park’s mission is to protect this heritage by preserving landscapes and biodiversity while encouraging the use of local materials and vernacular construction techniques, such as torchis (wat- tle and daub), brick, chalk, and raw earth construction. Our research was situated within this context and focused on a former barn in the village of Saint-Martin-Choquel, originally built using torchis. Constructed largely from reused materials and local wood species, the barn provided both a physical and conceptual framework for exploring regional fibres and their potential architectural applications. Additional inspiration came from the surrounding landscape, including the coastline of Cap Gris-Nez, where algae, chalk cliffs, and grazing mead- ows reveal the close relationship between natural materials and place.
Experimentation + identification
We studied six fibers available in the region: algae, flax, japanese knotweed, straw, hemp, and wool. These fibres were selected for their availability, underused potential, or ecological relevance. Algae was explored for its versatility and pigmen- tation and was also studied to evaluate its potential use as a binder, flax was explored for its strength and performance as a textile material, alongside an investigation into flax shives and their overlooked by-product potential, hemp was studied for its ability to produce strong acoustic panels, straw for its long-standing use in traditional construction, japanese knot- weed was studied as a fast-growing invasive resource, with attention to its diverse material properties, such as its strong stalks and the colouring potential of its leaves, and wool for its unique animal-based properties and excellent thermal and acoustic performance. Our research combined material study, hands-on experimen- tation, and intuitive exploration. We analyzed fiber properties such as tensile strength, elasticity, insulation capacity, and acoustic performance, as well as different processing meth- ods including cutting, boiling, burning, compressing, weaving, and felting. Fibres were tested both alone and in combination with binders such as clay, lime, sand, agar agar, and glycerin to create panels, bricks, tiles, pigments, and insulation elements. By testing various techniques, we found out which ones were best suited for which fibres, and that helped us understand what kind of building components could be further developes using these.
Material passport
Through this process, we found that natural fibres offer remarkable flexibility and strength, allowing for lightweight, adaptable components. Their elasticity enables techniques such as weaving, knitting, and felting, while their thermal and acoustic qualities make them suitable for insulation and sound absorption. By combining experimental approaches with traditional techniques, our research highlights the potential of regional fibres as sustainable, multifunctional materials for construction, rooted in local heritage while open to new archi- tectural possibilities.